Team C&J
The Lecompte family has been farming and growing grapes in the village of Rilly, which is part of Montagne de Reims, since 1876. Bottles of Lecompte Champagne garner attention from sparkling wine lovers across Europe and the US, in part because the Lecomptes have owned and operated this noteworthy label for nearly 150 years. Every step of the Champagne-making process is kept in-house – the pressing, fermenting, bottling, and aging, all happen on the family estate. Even the winery’s cellar, where all of the Champagne is aged, was dug by Francois’ grandfather.
Champagne Lecompte produces a robust collection of Champagnes, all of which are classified as premier crus.
The brand’s current offerings feature a style of Champagne for every palate. From the Millésime Nature, a non-dosage Champagne which has no sugar, to the Demi-Sec, which is perfect for desserts, there really is something for every occasion and style of sipper.
When you start digging into the reviews for François Lecompte Champagnes, the one thing you notice that’s mentioned over and over again is the price point of this spectacular sparkler. Doing a blind tasting on this premier cru, you would think the price point would be sitting closer to $100, rather than an unbelievable $50 a bottle.
But that’s the thing about seeking out grower Champagnes from artisan producers like Lecompte; they are priced more reasonably than the luxury Maisons, but are just as good.
Growing Champagne grapes is a big business because if you produce quality grapes, you will always have a buyer. Of the over 15,000 growers in France’s
Champagne region, most sell to large Champagne houses with names like Dom Perignon, Ruinart, and Veuve Clicquot; well, you know the names.
Sommeliers and wine geeks love grower Champagne because the winemaker has a more intimate knowledge of the terroir and fruit than a buyer who is disconnected from the vineyard. They will also tell you that there is just something special about a grower who wants to “go it alone”, and be a part of the winemaking from harvest to bottling rather than simply selling their grapes to the highest bidder.
Champagnes can have a few different classifications on the bottle. These classifications include:
Familiar names like Roederer, Bolllinger, Dom Perignon, etc. Negociants buy their grapes from growers through the Champagne region. Negociants make up the largest market of commercial Champagne.
Villages throughout Champagne are known for forming cooperatives. Village co-ops are a great option for smaller growers who do not have the money to invest in winemaking equipment because, under the co-op model, they supply their fruit to the co-op winemaker, and they then can label the wine as their own. Co-op Champagnes typically have a ‘CM’ on the label.
A vigneron, or a Récoltant Manipulant, is a vinter who is a grower and a producer of Champagne. Vignerons must use a minimum of 95% estate fruit in the bottlings. These growers own their own vineyards, produce their own wine, and each vintage has its own characteristics, just as a still wine would. In fact, this is one of the greatest differentiators between bottles from large Champagne houses versus bottles of grower Champagne.
Large brands like Ruinart or Dom Perignon are manipulated to have a style that is similar year-to-year, which is why some brands develop the following that they do. Grower Champagne reflects the trials or triumphs of any given year in the vineyard.
Grower Champagne is labeled with an ‘RM’.
The 2013 François Lecompte, Premier Cru Brut Champagne is a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Meunier. The vines were rooted in limestone and chalk soil, hand-harvested, and aged on lees for just over seven years.
This Champagne is lively and full of pep. On the nose, you will notice yeasty baker’s bread, crisp citrus, and soft melon. The first sip of this sparkler is delightful. The palate is sharp and to the point with bright citrus (creamy lemon and refreshing lime), slatey minerality, refreshing green apple, and vibrant lime.
Francois put a lot of care into the production of this wine, and the result is just lovely.
France
Champagne
Champagne
12
N/A
47–50°F / 7–10°C
Chardonnay
N/A
Now to 2027
FRANÇOIS LECOMPTE
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